Empire 8

[gordonmann]

For those who can't make it to Hoboken tomorrow, D3hoops is partnering with Stevens to broadcast both games.  We'll provide the audio for their video feed which is available here:

http://stevens.nmtvsports.com/

[Bombers798891]

Bombers dominate Hartwick, 91-69. Five Bombers score in double figures, led by Barera with 17. Cruz-Rivas has 18 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Nine assists for Rossi.

If Hartwick plans on winning a conference tournament game, they may want to rebound. Rivas is good, but he's not exactly an inside guy. Giving up 18 rebounds to a 6-3 guard? Come on. The Bombers had 54 points in the paint to the Wick's 24.

Bombers clinch the #2 seed in the tournament, which means they may host a semi-final game if the E8's little cost-cutting plan goes into effect. Wick has now lost 4 of 6

[gordonmann]

According to the Empire 8 website, the top seeds (plural) host semifinals.  And Stevens' game notes said they will host a semifinal next, which implies the top two host.  So both teams appear to have home games next Friday, regardless of today's outcome.

[bomber3]

Bombers looking for their 3rd regular season title in 4 years today @ Stevens.  Go Bombers!

[magicman]

Crazy game at the Bulb as Ithaca misses a chance to put some distance between them and the rest of the conference. Five teams now sit with two losses in conference play. With Ithaca playing 6 of the 8 remaining games on the road, there's a very real chance they go something like say, 18-7 and don't even qualify for the conference tournament.

Bombers, you don't really believe what you wrote about Ithaca, that there's a very real chance they may not qualify for the conference tournament? The worst they do in those final 8 games is 5-3(which will be good enough) but more likely 6-2 or 7-1. I still believe they're the best team in the league and not only will they qualify for the E8 tournament, they will host it. Now whether or not they win it, well that's another story.

Bombers,
Do you feel a little better now about your Bombers than you did back on January 23rd.   Congratulations, maybe they'll win that long sought after E8 title and win a few in the big tournament.

[bombers798891x2]

Crazy game at the Bulb as Ithaca misses a chance to put some distance between them and the rest of the conference. Five teams now sit with two losses in conference play. With Ithaca playing 6 of the 8 remaining games on the road, there's a very real chance they go something like say, 18-7 and don't even qualify for the conference tournament.

Bombers, you don't really believe what you wrote about Ithaca, that there's a very real chance they may not qualify for the conference tournament? The worst they do in those final 8 games is 5-3(which will be good enough) but more likely 6-2 or 7-1. I still believe they're the best team in the league and not only will they qualify for the E8 tournament, they will host it. Now whether or not they win it, well that's another story.

Bombers,
Do you feel a little better now about your Bombers than you did back on January 23rd.   Congratulations, maybe they'll win that long sought after E8 title and win a few in the big tournament.

Ok. I forgot my old password, and had recently closed the e-mail account I had registered with, so forgive the new name, but as you can tell it's still me.

Of course I feel better about the Bombers now than I did before. Know why? The team is actually playing better. Fancy that. They're actually playing some decent defense right now (Starting Grier over Oztemel helps with that immensely).

Their last 10 days they have been firing on all cylinders. Beating the other three playoff teams on the road by 14, 22 and 22? Traveling all the way to Hoboken after playing on the road the night before and running Stevens out of their own gym? Sign me up.

But, as much as bomber3 will hate me, now the slate is clean. Now they have to prove themselves capable of doing what the other teams before them were not. There's no reason they shouldn't win the conference tournament. They are better than St. John Fisher. They are better than Hartwick. They are better than Stevens. And more importantly, they are playing better than them right now, with the possible exception of Stevens.

The Wick has lost 4 of 7 and looked awful in doing so. Fisher's recently lost 4 of 6, including to all three teams in the tourney. Stevens was looking great, but the Bombers just shredded them.

Ithaca is 79-21 over their last four regular seasons, and 0-4 in the E8/NCAA Tourneys. Now is their chance to change that narrative. There's no reason for them not to win the conference tournament, qualify for the NCAA's, and win some there.

Ithaca hosts St. John Fisher Friday at 8. They've handled them easily twice this season. They should win again

Ithaca 88
Fisher 74

[bombers798891x2]

Here's a question: Fisher hasn't played since the 15th. How much rest is too much before it turns into rust? Will the Cardinals be affected?

[magicman]

Bombers,
Let me be the first to give you plus K in your reincarnation. Maybe Pat can figure out a way to give you your identity back.  You were closing in on All American status, hate to see you all the way back at the beginning.

[bomber3]

Crazy game at the Bulb as Ithaca misses a chance to put some distance between them and the rest of the conference. Five teams now sit with two losses in conference play. With Ithaca playing 6 of the 8 remaining games on the road, there's a very real chance they go something like say, 18-7 and don't even qualify for the conference tournament.

Bombers, you don't really believe what you wrote about Ithaca, that there's a very real chance they may not qualify for the conference tournament? The worst they do in those final 8 games is 5-3(which will be good enough) but more likely 6-2 or 7-1. I still believe they're the best team in the league and not only will they qualify for the E8 tournament, they will host it. Now whether or not they win it, well that's another story.

Bombers,
Do you feel a little better now about your Bombers than you did back on January 23rd.  Congratulations, maybe they'll win that long sought after E8 title and win a few in the big tournament.

Ok. I forgot my old password, and had recently closed the e-mail account I had registered with, so forgive the new name, but as you can tell it's still me.

Of course I feel better about the Bombers now than I did before. Know why? The team is actually playing better. Fancy that. They're actually playing some decent defense right now (Starting Grier over Oztemel helps with that immensely).

Their last 10 days they have been firing on all cylinders. Beating the other three playoff teams on the road by 14, 22 and 22? Traveling all the way to Hoboken after playing on the road the night before and running Stevens out of their own gym? Sign me up.

But, as much as bomber3 will hate me, now the slate is clean. Now they have to prove themselves capable of doing what the other teams before them were not. There's no reason they shouldn't win the conference tournament. They are better than St. John Fisher. They are better than Hartwick. They are better than Stevens. And more importantly, they are playing better than them right now, with the possible exception of Stevens.

The Wick has lost 4 of 7 and looked awful in doing so. Fisher's recently lost 4 of 6, including to all three teams in the tourney. Stevens was looking great, but the Bombers just shredded them.

Ithaca is 79-21 over their last four regular seasons, and 0-4 in the E8/NCAA Tourneys. Now is their chance to change that narrative. There's no reason for them not to win the conference tournament, qualify for the NCAA's, and win some there.

Ithaca hosts St. John Fisher Friday at 8. They've handled them easily twice this season. They should win again

Ithaca 88
Fisher 74

Not true - I agree with your statement.  The slate is clean and its time to get it done.  IC was a big favorite to get it done in '09 but they ran into one of the all-time great E8 players in McAdam.  This year none of the other three opponents have a true stud and all the teams should play the same game plan as the regular season games (in the '09 Naz game, Naz played a completely different game plan in the playoffs).  This is another great opportunity for the Bombers to win the postseason tournament.  It would be a great way for the two players who have won more games in their careers than any other player in the history of the program  (Cruz and Barera) to close out their careers and put the past seasons playoff transgressions in the past.  

Now, forget the E8 playoffs automatic bid for a second.  Ithaca played themselves in the tournament this weekend regardless of what happens next weekend.  So long as there aren't crazy upsets in the other conference tournaments to limit the at-large bids, 20 wins with their schedule should earn them a bid.  They are 3-1 against East region ranked teams and beat Franklin & Marshall on the road  (20-5 and ranked 7th in the Middle Atlantic region, 15th in the nation) in a game that wasn't really all that close.  IC should be making another NCAA appearance regardless.

[Pat Coleman]

Sure, that's fixable.

[Bombers798891]

Sure, that's fixable.

Thaks, Pat. K+

[magicman]

Sure, that's fixable.

Thaks, Pat. K+

Hey Bombers, you're back. See how easy that was.

[bomber3]

Always fun to take a look at early season predictions to see who was right (early predictions in green):

FROMAFAR's predictions:

E-8 standings......................

IC-----------Experience and talent
RIT----------Experience
Fisher------Coaching and reputation
NAZ---------Always there
Hartwick---Upcoming and good coach
Alfred-------PEP says good recruits?
Utica--------Unorganized.. needs new look
Stevens----lost Heart and talent.. starting all over- hayne recruits gone.
Elmira------Needs a lot of help...

Overall - not very accurate!  Way off with the Stevens/RIT picks.  Elmira, Utica, and IC only spot on picks.

Here are my predictions:


Its only the top 2 that matter:
1. Ithaca
2. Fisher

Bombers win the regular season title, win the E8 tournament, and win a game in the NCAA tournament.  Mark it down.  They have a tough schedule but nothing that prevents them from winning 20 games in my opinion.  I am predicting either a 6-3/7-2 non-conference record and 13-3 conference record.  20 regular season wins isn't out of the question.  

I would say that is a spot on prediction.  So far they got the 13-3 regular season record, 20 wins, and the regular season crown.  3-3 so far with 2 predictions to come (E8 tournament and NCAAs).  

2010 Empire 8 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1     St. John Fisher College (5)
2.      Ithaca College    (2)                                                
3     Rochester Institute of Technology (1)          
4.      Hartwick College                                          
5     Nazareth College                                      
6     Stevens Institute of Technology                  
7     Alfred University                                            
8.      Utica College                                                
9.      Elmira College                    

The coaches were way off with Stevens too.  RIT and Fisher were overrated but overall they were pretty accurate.

[Bombers798891]

Always fun to take a look at early season predictions to see who was right (early predictions in green):

FROMAFAR's predictions:

E-8 standings......................

IC-----------Experience and talent
RIT----------Experience
Fisher------Coaching and reputation
NAZ---------Always there
Hartwick---Upcoming and good coach
Alfred-------PEP says good recruits?
Utica--------Unorganized.. needs new look
Stevens----lost Heart and talent.. starting all over- hayne recruits gone.
Elmira------Needs a lot of help...

Overall - not very accurate!  Way off with the Stevens/RIT picks.  Elmira, Utica, and IC only spot on picks.

Here are my predictions:


Its only the top 2 that matter:
1. Ithaca
2. Fisher

Bombers win the regular season title, win the E8 tournament, and win a game in the NCAA tournament.  Mark it down.  They have a tough schedule but nothing that prevents them from winning 20 games in my opinion.  I am predicting either a 6-3/7-2 non-conference record and 13-3 conference record.  20 regular season wins isn't out of the question.  

I would say that is a spot on prediction.  So far they got the 13-3 regular season record, 20 wins, and the regular season crown.  3-3 so far with 2 predictions to come (E8 tournament and NCAAs).  

2010 Empire 8 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1     St. John Fisher College (5)
2.      Ithaca College    (2)                                                
3     Rochester Institute of Technology (1)          
4.      Hartwick College                                          
5     Nazareth College                                      
6     Stevens Institute of Technology                  
7     Alfred University                                            
8.      Utica College                                                
9.      Elmira College                    

The coaches were way off with Stevens too.  RIT and Fisher were overrated but overall they were pretty accurate.

Pretty easy to be more accurate when you only predict two of the nine spots huh?

I will give you props for nailing the 20-5 down to the game.

Sorry, but you agreeing with me made me feel all awkward. I like it much better when we disagree with essentially everything each other writes. Order in an otherwise chaotic world, you know?

[TheNextLevel]

I'll go with Ithaca to win the E-8 tourney. I hope Hartwick can right the ship and upset Stevens in NJ, but I don't think they will.